day of the cyclone - coteau...

ISBN: 9781550504811

DAY OF THE CYCLONENovel Study Guide

By Amber Goldie

Juvenile Fiction – Divison II - Grades 4 - 6Curriculum Connections: English Language Arts/History

www.coteaubooks.com

© Coteau Books, 2012

Teachers have permission from the authors and publisher to make copies of this guide for personal classroom use, personal reference, and student use.

2517 Victoria Ave.Regina, Saskatchewan Canada S4P 0T2

www.coteaubooks.com

The publisher gratefully acknowledges the financial assistance of theSaskatchewan Arts Board, the Canada Council for the Arts, theGovernment of Canada through the Canada Book Fund, and the City ofRegina Arts Commission, for its publishing program.

Table of Contents

Using the Study Guide ......................................................................................................iCurriculum Connections ......................................................................................................i

About the Author ...............................................................................................................1Author’s note .......................................................................................................................1Other books in the Disaster Strikes! Series .........................................................................2

Before You Read ...............................................................................................................2Vocabulary building ............................................................................................................2

CHRONOLOGICAL LESSON PLANSPrologue and Chs 1-3: Looking for Character Clues and Finding Evidence ...........................3 Chs 4-6: Following the Story, Prejudice, and Voice ..............................................................4Chs 7-9: Words into Action ..................................................................................................6 Chs 10-13: Character Development and Point of View ..........................................................7Chs 14-16: Create and Imagine ............................................................................................9

THEMATIC LESSON PLANSA New City .........................................................................................................................10 Busybody or Reporter? ........................................................................................................11 Extension Research: The IODE and British Home Children ................................................12Canada the Great ...............................................................................................................13 Real People, Real Lives ......................................................................................................14

WORKSHEETSChs 1-3: Questions about Chapters 1-3 .............................................................................16

Building a Character ...........................................................................................17Vocabulary Building ............................................................................................18

Chs 4-6: At the Women’s Work Party.................................................................................19Prejudice ............................................................................................................20Vocabulary Building ............................................................................................21

Chs 7-9: Who is Jesper?....................................................................................................22Words into Action................................................................................................23Words into Action Graphic Novel frames.............................................................25Vocabulary Building............................................................................................27

Chs 10-13:Who Does What? ................................................................................................28Vocabulary Building............................................................................................29

Chs 14-16:The End..............................................................................................................30Word Scramble....................................................................................................31Vocabulary Building............................................................................................32

Thematic: Busy Body or Reporter .......................................................................................33Thematic: Canada the Great...............................................................................................34Thematic: Real People, Real Lives......................................................................................35

Using the Study Guide

This study guide offers two means of approaching the novel. The first is a scheme of lessons thatwork through the novel in sections, progressively. Students will exercise language arts skills suchas comprehension, inference, making predictions, and understanding character, plot and struc-ture. Each lesson plan offers activities that can be adapted to foundation, core, and extensionlevels so students (or teachers) can select the level at which they are comfortable working.

The second offers optional thematic lessons based on individual aspects of the novel as a whole.These could be used for extension students to undertake as independent study, or as a class proj-ect alongside the novel study.

Curriculum ConnectionsThis study guide is intended for use with students across the age and ability range from grade 4to grade 8. You will find the activities in the chronological scheme of work fulfil primarily Aimsand Goals from English Language Arts curricula at these grade levels, with secondary focus onSocial Studies Aims and Goals. The opposite is true of the thematic lessons. In particular theselessons fulfil goals from:

Saskatchewan Social Studies curricula for Grades 4, 5 and 8 (themes: Saskatchewan, Canada,and The Individual in Canadian Society);

Alberta Social Studies curricula for Grades 5, 6 and 7 (themes: Canada: The Land, Historiesand Stories; Democracy: Action and Participation; and Canada: Origins, Histories andMovement of People);

Manitoba Social Studies curriculum for Grade 6 (theme: Canada: A Country of Change 1867-present);

Ontario Social Studies curriculum for Grade 5 (theme: Aspects of Citizenship and Governmentin Canada);

Ontario History curriculum for Grade 8 (theme: the Development of Western Canada).

About the author

Penny Draper is an author, a bookseller and a storyteller who lives in Victoria, BC. Originally fromToronto, she received a degree in Literature from Trinity College, University of Toronto, andattended the Storytellers’ School of Toronto. For many years, Penny shared tales as a professionalstoryteller at schools, libraries, conferences, festivals and on radio and television. She has told sto-ries in an Arabian harem and from inside a bear’s belly – but that is a story in itself.

Penny’s books have been nominated for numerous awards in Canada and the United States. Theyhave been honoured with the Victoria Book Prize, the Moonbeam Award Gold Medal and theChocolate Lily Readers’ Choice Award (runner-up). Day of the Cyclone is part of Coteau Books forKids’ Disaster Strikes! series. The series also includes Penny’s Terror at Turtle Mountain, Peril at PierNine, Graveyard of the Sea, A Terrible Roar of Water and Ice Storm.

A Note from Penny Draper

I love photographs.

I love the idea that a single moment in time can be captured and held to enjoy at our leisure.And photographs make wonderful story starters! I have always relied on photos when I doresearch for a book, but “Day of the Cyclone” was special. So many archival photos existed thatfit the story. It was fascinating to see the homes, the people, the cars and the fashions of 1912Regina. In time, the photos began to inspire the story itself. That’s when I decided to make Ellaa photographer. By pretending that she was taking the pictures, I could help readers see the storythrough Ella’s eyes – literally.

All of the books in the “Disaster Strikes!” series contain some common elements.They are all a mix of real and imagined characters, every one contains a storyteller, each is basedon a true story and they all take place in Canada. “Day of the Cyclone” has one more, uniqueelement. It is a mystery story.

Disasters are full of mysteries. For example, how is it that a crew member from one sinking shipcan be rescued wearing the life jacket of a different sunken ship? How is it that a horse can sur-vive a whole month trapped in a mine shaft? When I write, these mysteries seem to swirl in myhead, so deciding to make a mystery part of the main story was an easy choice. And it made“Day of the Cyclone” a lot of fun to write.

This book touches on several of the main political issues of the era: the opening up of the West,the political rights of women and treatment of the Home Children. Don’t let anyone ever tellyou that Canadian history is boring – it’s full of stories!

1© Coteau Books, 2011. Teachers have permission from the author and publisher to make copies of this guide forpersonal classroom use, personal reference, and student use.

Other Books in the Disaster Strikes! series

By Penny Draper By Rita FeutlTerror at Turtle Mountain Rescue at Fort EdmontonPeril at Pier NineA Terrible Roar of WaterGraveyard of the SeaIce Storm

Before You Read

Expectations

Brainstorm what the students know about a) tornadoes and b) the Regina cyclone. This can bedone in small groups or as a whole class. Discuss their responses. What are they expecting froma novel called Day of the Cyclone? What are they expecting from a novel that they know isabout the Regina cyclone – that is, a story in which the setting is 100 years ago? Are theseexpectations the same, or different? In what ways?

The IODE

Ella’s mother is a leading member of the IODE (Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire)in Regina. It may help to give some explanation about the organisation, why it was formed, andthe work it was doing at the time in which the novel is set. The IODE still exists, and you maywant to discuss its current role in Canada too. You can find information at www.iode.ca.

A new city

Ella is proud of her brand-new city, full of tiny young trees and big new buildings. Saskatchewanhad been a province, and Regina the provincial capital, for only seven years in 1912. Since thebeginning of the century, the population had grown from around 2,000 to more than 30,000. Areyour students as proud of their city today as Ella was of Regina in 1912? What are they proud of?

Vocabulary-building

After each section, there are vocabulary words taken from the chapters, with matching grids thatstudents can use to pair the words with the meanings. Older students might use different ways oflooking these up – for example, using a paper and an online dictionary, or finding alternativesusing a thesaurus. They could also be used to build inference skills, by asking students to specu-late on the meanings based on the context and sentence in which they appear. Extension studentscould be asked to identify the class of word (noun, verb, adjective, and so on). You may, ofcourse, wish to add your own selection or have students add to these and build individual or awhole-class vocabulary list.

© Coteau Books, 2012. Teachers have permission from the author and publisher to make copies of this guide forpersonal classroom use, personal reference, and student use.

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Lesson Plans

Prologue and Chapters 1-3: Looking for Character Clues; Finding and Using Evidence

Summary: The prologue shows a violent interaction between an unidentified boy and man, inwhich the boy is clearly being abused by someone who is supposed to look after him. The boy’sreal family is in England, having sent him to Canada on Dr. Barnardo’s scheme. The hungry boysets out to leave his abuser, with the determination to get an education in Canada as he waspromised.

It is Ella Barclay’s 13th birthday in 1912 Regina. She is the daughter of a bank manager. Hermother is an important society lady in the new city, and Ella is expected to grow up to be thesame. There are lots of rules for a proper young lady. Ella wears scratchy petticoats, and mustremember her manners, make a speech, and be grateful for gifts meant for her hope chest. She isexcited to receive a Brownie camera from her father, who takes time out of his busy day to cometo the party. Jesper Isbister, the Barclays’ lodger from England, appears with flowers, and thegirls (except Ella) swoon.

The boy from the prologue seeks work, finding a friend in a man named Jock who is down on hisluck after being unable to farm the land he was given. The boy works at a livery stable to buy foodfor them both.

Mrs.. Barclay has misgivings about the camera, not wanting her daughter to be a ‘busybody’.Ella thinks about her mother’s boring life, wondering if she ever wanted a “proper” job. Ellaexplores Regina, taking photographs, and her father teaches her to find the story within eachpicture. At school, Ella photographs a new boy, who gets angry, and they argue. The new boy isBilly Forsythe, in Regina to live with his reclusive uncle. The other children take Ella’s side andostracize him. At the end of the day, the two mend their differences, deciding to become friends.

Activity: Looking for character clues

See the worksheet. *This could be an ongoing activity throughout the lessons, where studentsbuild a character study using this table as a starting point. Students might spend ten minutesadding to their character study after each chapter or section.

Extension: Finding evidence (“This shows that...”)

Explain that character clues are hidden in each character’s actions, rather than the narrator sim-ply telling us about them. Give an example, such as Ella’s reaction to her father coming to theparty/ their photography outing, or the outfit Ella wears to go out. Discuss what these thingsshow (Ella loves her father and he is usually too busy to spend very much time with her; Ella’sfamily is well-off and can afford nice clothes). Explain the different between showing andtelling. Ask them to find other examples of each technique.


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Chapters 4-6: Following the Story, Prejudice, and Voice

Summary: Billy sneaks into a store to get clothes so he doesn’t stand out, leaving an IOU note.He and Jock are worried because the Mounted Police are looking for a runaway boy. Ella is made to go to one of her mother’s “women’s meetings”, and Jesper makes fun of her beingmade to become a young lady. As they joke, Ella is surprised by Jesper’s bitter tone towards hisown father, a Duke in England.

There are more surprises in store at the meeting, which is a work party to put together bookparcels for isolated homesteading families. Ella can’t believe the prim and proper Mrs. Barclaybecomes “Alex” at these meetings, and is a businesslike and active leader. The women joke aboutthe outrageous actions of Nellie McClung. The ladies hear from Ella’s classmates about the fightat school and the strange new boy who doesn’t fit in. Ella is not allowed to be friends with Billy,and although she assures him they can be friends when nobody is looking, this upsets him.

Billy takes Ella to a Chinese restaurant to which she is forbidden to go. She finds the food deli-cious and likes the owner, Hong. She is surprised his children work in the restaurant and Billyexplains that lots of families can’t afford to send their children to school. They see Jesper arrive,making loud demands and causing a scuffle. Ella wonders if he will tell her mother she was there.

Then Billy and Ella meet Jock and the horses from the livery stable. Jock is a Scottish immigrantwho was persuaded by the Canada Exhibition Wagon to travel to the new land. Jock takes themout into the countryside in a buggy. They look at the birds and fields, and Billy vows to be afarmer, because it’s the most beautiful place he has ever seen.

Suggested discussion questions

1. Ella’s mother is a “society lady” and Jennie Duncan is “very active in the social circles ofRegina.” What do these things mean? They are both leaders in the work party. Why do youthink both society and good works were important to women at that time? Can you think ofa reason they were especially important in a new city such as Regina?

2. Are you as surprised as Ella by the difference between “Mrs. Barclay” and “Alex”? Why/whynot?

3. In Mrs. Barclay’s mind, helping Billy is different from helping the homesteaders. Why? Whatdo you think?

4. Of all the new things Ella sees and does in this segment, what in your opinion is the strangestfor her? Why?

5. Why do you think Jock was persuaded to come to Canada? What do you think he was expecting?


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Activity: Story threads

A lot of storylines begin in this section, of which students will need to keep track as the novelunfolds. They include Mrs. Barclay and the IODE, Jesper and the Chinese restaurant, why Billyand Jock are friends, how Billy knows the workers and the warehouse district so well, and Billy’sdream of farming. On the classroom wall, start a time-line with all the characters’ names at thefar left. You can then draw horizontal timelines with different colours for each character. Youmay wish to split the class into groups and have each track a character as you go further throughthe novel.

A straightforward way of doing this is simply to draw straight lines and have students put dotsor pins at points along the timeline, trying to line them up so they can see what the charactersare doing at the same moment. Students should write at the dot what is happening in the storyat that time. As events are revealed later in the novel, students can go back and add dots to fillin the blanks.

A more complicated project is to use the dots to join the lines up when the characters’ timelinesmeet (this may be better done with yarn and pushpins, rather than pens, as the lines may getconfusing and mistakes are easy to rectify!)

Activity: Prejudice

In this section of the novel, Ella begins to confront her prejudices and those of her parents. Shewants to help Billy, but her mother says it’s appropriate to do so only ‘from a distance’. ThenBilly takes Ella to the Chinese restaurant, and to the warehouse district, where she meets Jock.These are places forbidden to her as a young lady.

In a class discussion, define what prejudice is and where our prejudices might come from. Looktogether at how Ella recognises and challenges her parents’ prejudices. Lead a discussion on whywe have prejudices (for example, fear of what is different).

Extension: VoiceYou may guide older or more able students to look at how people who experience prejudice areportrayed in the novel – in particular, their voices. Billy, Jock, and Hong have accents ordialects, or speak broken English. The Barclays and Jesper speak Standard English. Why has theauthor made these decisions? How does it affect what we think (or are supposed to think) aboutthe characters?


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Chapters 7-9: Words Into Action

Summary: On their way home, Ella, Jock and Billy see Mr.. Barclay’s car. Jesper and hisRemittance Men friends are out drinking, and Billy takes a photograph. When Ella gets home,her parents tell her they suspect Billy of stealing money from Mrs.. Barclay’s purse. Ella begins towonder about her friend, especially as Billy has been seen wearing the clothes stolen from thedowntown store. Jesper has told Ella’s parents about her trip to the Chinese restaurant. As pun-ishment, Ella studies in isolation for her upcoming exams.

Ella helps her mother and the IODE decorate the town ready for Dominion Day. She decides topretend Billy doesn’t exist, and stops talking to him at school. The exams are completed andeveryone plans a grand picnic day out in Wascana Park. The weather is sweltering and the tem-perature rises all day. Ella spends the day thinking about Billy. She decides there must have beena mistake and it is up to her to clear his name.

Outside the city, the tornado has begun to build speed and strength, hitting farms and home-steads and claiming its first victims.

As Ella heads home to confront her father, she hears and sees the mighty tornado and begins torun. She escapes by evading the path of the storm, breaking a window into the school to hide inthe basement. Within five minutes, the tornado has ruined the city.

Ella takes her parents out into the city to show them the devastation. The Barclays and Jesperrush to help with digging people out of collapsed buildings and helping the injured. The policeand town officials spring into action. Ella helps a mother find her daughter but doesn’t feel shecan do anything useful. Running into the reclusive Mr. Leatherby, she asks if his nephew Billy ishurt. The man doesn’t know what she’s talking about, and Ella realizes Billy has lied about hisidentity. She goes to the warehouse district to find him and Jock.

Suggested questions

1. Do you think Billy stole Mrs. Barclay’s money? Why/why not? What reasons do the Barclayshave to blame Billy?

2. Through most of the novel, we see the story from Ella’s point of view. What is different aboutthe way in which the tornado is described? Why do you think the author did this? Whateffects does it have?

Activity: Words into Action

Introduction Using a selection of graphic novels from the school resource centre, ask students to look at howthey express action in short descriptions, speech and thought bubbles, and illustration. When thecyclone hits Regina, there is a lot of movement and physical action. Using chapter 8 of Day of the


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Cyclone, examine together how the tornado action could be condensed and expressed in a series ofimages, like in a graphic novel (remembering dialogue and thoughts can be expressed in speechand thought bubbles). You may want to use terms from Ella’s photography lesson, such as perspec-tive. For example, what would be the different impacts of an image drawn at the farmhouse thestorm first hits, and an image that shows the same moment viewed from the distance of Reginaitself? It may also help to go through chapter 8 or the worksheet as a class, highlighting (for exam-ple by writing a list on the board) the verbs and action words that describe the tornado’s effects.

Self-directed work

Students use the worksheet and graphic novel frames to create their own graphic version of thetornado chapter. Foundation level students may want to use the pre-written frame; core levelstudents could select short sections from the descriptions on the worksheet; while more sophisti-cated or older students may be able to use the empty frame on their own with little guidance.Enthusiastic students who have a good working knowledge of graphic novels may want to breakout of this format and draw their own.

Chapters 10-13: Character Development

Summary: Ella hurries alone to the Warehouse District, snapping photographs of the devasta-tion. She finds Billy extricating himself from the rubble of Jock’s house, but Jock is still trapped.Ella runs through the district as darkness falls, collecting workers to help. While they dig Jockout, she confronts Billy. Jock is taken to the hospital. Billy leaves with him before giving Ella anyanswers.

As the city awakes to Dominion Day, Ella must explain the previous night to her furious par-ents. They won’t understand about Billy, but Mrs. Barclay appreciates Ella’s courage. Ella stayswith her mother all day, helping to account for missing people and damaged buildings.Volunteers arrive and the Scouts act as a “human telephone”, relaying messages. Everyone pitchesin, and Ella has “the happiest and saddest day of her life”.

Among the destruction and the kind assistance from other cities, there is another theft, this timefrom the bank. Mr. Barclay assumes Billy is responsible – especially since the boy is suddenlynowhere to be found. Ella realizes he must be at the livery stable and goes to fetch him. Headmits to the theft of the school clothes and is put in jail for the time being. Ella helps toprocess donations at the bank and she and Mr. Barclay collect her photographs. When she looksat them, she spots the “story” – she has inadvertently photographed Jesper sneaking out of herfather’s bank carrying a satchel.

Suggested discussion questions1. The last time Ella went to the Warehouse District, she was excited and quite scared, because it

is one of the many places that are out of bounds to young ladies like her. How are Ella’s feel-ings and actions different when she goes there this time? Why do you think this is?

© Coteau Books, 2011. Teachers have permission from the author and publisher to make copies of this guide for per-sonal classroom use, personal reference, and student use.

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2. Are you surprised by Mr. and Mrs. Barclay’s reaction to what Ella tells them? Why/why not?

3. Ella says it will take a ‘different kind of courage’ to get through her day helping out. What doyou think she means by this?

Activity: Character development

Ella has experienced a huge number of new things through the course of the story. Have stu-dents list the things that have changed in Ella’s life and in her character. Help students to pin-point places in the novel that have led to these developments. You may want to make a chart asa class or ask students to do so individually, e.g:

What has stayed the same about Ella’s character and those who surround her?

Ask students to look at Ella through the eyes of another character of their choice: her mother orfather, Billy, Jock, or Jesper, and think about what that character feels about Ella. Ask them tomake notes about her, or write a series of “I” statements: I am worried because...I was surprisedwhen...I wish that...I wonder if...Ella reminds me of...

It may help to remind students of Mr. Barclay’s advice to Ella on ‘seeing the story’ and noticingthings. Here is the passage in which Ella begins to notice the ‘story’ in Billy:

She’d watched him all week at school. The day after the disastrous snapshot, he’d arrived at schooldressed properly, with a new scribbler and pencil. Maybe he told old Mr.. Leatherby that he got intothe fight because of his awful clothes. And Ella could see him copying the way the other kids talked andacted. He was watching all the time, and doing just almost. Even after just one week, he didn’t stand out as a stranger anywhere near so much as at first.He was almost starting to blend in. Even his schoolwork was improving. When Miss Hayward saw howmuch he was struggling, she’d asked him right out if he’d ever been to school before. And bold as brass,he’d said, “No, ma’am. This be me first week.” After that, she set him easy problems and he was pro-gressing quickly, now that he was starting at the beginning like you were supposed to.

Students could think about what their character has noticed about Ella lately.

Before Then Afterwards

Ella was scared to go to Hong’srestaurant; she thought itwould be dirty and the foodwould make her sick.

She went to the restaurant anddiscovered she enjoyed the foodand the restaurant was very clean.

Ella has learned to challengethe things her parents tell herand to make up her own mind.

Ella thought her mother wasboring.


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Chapters 14-16: Create and Imagine

Summary: Ella has to tell them the whole story of her day with Billy – seeing Jesper demand-ing to gamble at the restaurant and out with Mr. Barclay’s car, drinking with his friends. At firsther parents are angry about her actions, but the photo is proof of Jesper’s crime. Mrs. Barclaysees Ella’s determination to fight for her friend’s good name.

While Mr. Barclay goes to settle things, Ella and Mrs. Barclay help at the hospital. Ella reads thenewspapers to the patients and entertains children with stories. She finally sees Jock, who is alivebut dreadfully injured.

At first Mr. Barclay says Billy must stay in jail because there isn’t time to figure out what to dowith him, but Ella persists on her friend’s behalf. Her parents are impressed with her courageand strength.

Before the magistrate and the Barclays, Billy tells his story. His mother sent him to Canada onDr. Barnardo’s scheme, thinking he would be educated and have opportunities she couldn’t pro-vide. Instead, he was forced into labour, half-starved, and beaten. Eventually he ran away toRegina to go to school, and met Jock. He explains his dream of becoming a farmer when heturns 18 and bringing his brothers to Canada. He has also already begun to return what moneyhe can to the shop from which he stole school supplies.

The Barclays offer a place for Jock to say while he gets better, and for Billy too. Jock will becomeBilly’s guardian. Jesper is deported to England. Mrs. Barclay and her IODE supporters facedown the magistrate and make sure he promises to punish the man who abused Billy.

Activity: Create and imagine

Students now have the whole story, some observations on different characters in the novel, andsome notes considering Ella from another character’s point of view. Have them add to theseobservations using the scenes from this section.

Activity

Have students write a letter or journal entry about their chosen characters’ opinions andthoughts on Ella. More able students may want to extend this to talk about the supporting char-acters too: Mrs. Barclay may have some thoughts about Jesper or worry about how she and Mrs.Dudek will cope with the extra house guests; students writing as Jock may want to address hisrelationship with Billy and their future together.There will be evidence for some of these things in the novel; other ideas, students will extrapo-late or imagine from what they know about the characters in general.

Thematic lessons

1. A new city

“The houses were bigger than the trees planted along the avenue, but the trees would grow.Right now, Regina’s mayor was mostly concerned with building homes for all the people whowanted to come. More than a thousand people arrived in Canada every day hoping to make anew life, and Mayor McAra wanted to make sure a lot of them came to Regina.

And now that Regina was the capital of Saskatchewan, even the government was getting a hugenew house, called the Legislative Building, down at the lake. Everything in Regina was brandnew.

Ella lived right down the street from Victoria Park. The park was sort of green and had a foun-tain in the middle. “Sort of green” because it was only five years old and the trees hadn’t hadmuch time to grow. Ella crossed to the fountain in the centre of the park. On the other side ofthe park stood a big stone church and the new Carnegie Library. Ella loved the library. Herfather’s bank faced the park as well.”

In 1912, Saskatchewan was a new province and Regina a new capital city. It had experiencedhuge population growth and construction since the start of the new century.

Activity

Have students look at a map of Regina today and identify some of the areas that existed at thetime of the cyclone. Use chapter 9 and try to track a) the path of the cyclone and b) Ella’s routeto escape it. Identify the other places and areas mentioned in the novel: the railway, theWarehouse District, Wascana Lake, the Legislative Building, Victoria Park, and so on. Have stu-dents look at the photographs and use library or online resources to locate them on a map.Think about some of the major buildings that define Regina as a city today. What is left of Ella’scity now?

Activity

Ask students to go out into their community to photograph the things that are important tothem. These might be landmark buildings, a park, a playground, their own homes, the library, afavourite shop – etc. The students could present these in a number of different ways. They mayprint the photos out and make posters, putting captions under each photograph saying what thisplace means to them. You might create a simple private blog or website (Wordpress is easy touse) and allow students to upload their images and captions.

If you can’t go out into the city, consider using Pinterest. Set up your own private Pinterestboard and allow students to search online for images of their city and community. Then theycan ‘pin’ them to the board and add their own captions.


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2. Being a busybody, or reporting the news?

Using Day of the Cyclone as a springboard for debate on popular and news media

Mrs. Barclay doesn’t want Ella to be a busybody, and Ella finds out the hard way what happenswhen someone doesn’t want his picture taken. Yet when Regina is devastated by the cyclone andnews photographers flock, the pictures sent around the world show that the city needs help.Without those photographs we wouldn’t have such a rich and detailed record of what happenedto the city.

Modern paparazzi photographers have been partly blamed for events such as the death of Diana,Princess of Wales. Yet it is still through the photos of journalists and activists that our eyes areopened to human rights injustices, the effects of war, and human suffering such as famine andnatural disasters.

ObjectivesFamiliarity and facility with a text, finding relevant quotations * Building a case and preparingto present an argument * Working with others in a small group * Oral and listening skills

MaterialsDay of the Cyclone * A selection of local/ international newspapers * A selection of (or pagestaken from) celebrity magazines * ‘Busybody or Reporter’ worksheet

DifferentiationFor younger students, you may wish to stay within the context of Day of the Cyclone and use theworksheet to make this primarily a comprehension exercise, with structured independent workleading students to think about and formulate their own opinions, rather than debating theissues. Extension students may look at how we decide whether photographs are genuine andassess the veracity of the sources from which they come (for example, a Facebook or blog post, anational newspaper, a government-controlled media outlet).

IntroductionUsing quotations from Day of the Cyclone and examples from the newspapers and magazines,find some examples of when photography has a ‘good’ effect (such as providing information)and when it has a ‘bad’ effect (for example, photographing a celebrity’s child on the way toschool). Encourage students to look at how they come to their judgements on what’s positiveand what’s negative. Discuss ways of presenting a rational argument, backing up a statementwith evidence.

Self-directed work

Assign students a ‘for’ or ‘against’ position. Students work in small groups to develop argumentsto support their position.


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Class debate

This can be either a formal, full-class debate, or you might assign the groups to pair up. Youmay want to set your own debating rules to keep the debates positive and enable everyone tocontribute and be heard.

Plenary

With which side of the argument do you agree most, and why?This could be an informal way to end the lesson, with students verbally offering their opinions,or may be more valuable as a short written reflection (as this avoids students being required toindicate their own real opinions in front of others).

3. Extension activities: The IODE and British Home Children

Ella was excited. This was way more important than embroidery. She looked up at her mother curiously. No, she looked up at Alex.

Use the ‘work party’ section of the novel as a springboard to research the work of the IODE inthe early 20th century in Canada. Questions might include:• Why was the IODE set up, and how has its purpose changed over the years?• Research one of the IODE’s current projects - for example, the Violet Downey Book Award,

or the 2012 War Memorial Scholarship. Why do you think the IODE supports these particular projects?

• Do we still need the IODE?

Useful Web ResourceIODE Canada http://www.iode.ca/

A dark cloud passed over Billy’s eyes. “Yeah, well bad stuff ’appens, whether it should or not.”

Billy finally tells his background story at the end of the novel and reveals he is a runaway HomeChild. Research the history of British Home Children in Canada. Questions might include:• Did all Home Children experience such bad treatment as Billy does?• Were Home Children sent to any other countries besides Canada? What were their

experiences?• What effects did being a Home Child have on people?

Useful Web Resources The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21http://www.pier21.ca/research/collections/the-story-collection/online-story-collection/british-home-children

Citizenship and Immigration Canada http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/multiculturalism/homechild/biblio.asp


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4. Canada the Great!

What would a 21st Century Canada Exhibition Wagon look like?

Jock is persuaded to come to Canada by the wonders of the Canada Exhibition Wagon, whichshowcases the country and offers tempting incentives for those who emigrate.

Activity: Build the wagon!

Working in small groups, students build a display to get people interested in immigrating toCanada today. Start by re-reading as a class the passage where Jock explains the CanadaExhibition Wagon. Highlight the ways in which Canada showcases itself to encourage people tosign up. Spend a few minutes brainstorming as a class what students would put in a modernCanada Exhibition Wagon, and why.

When the groups have created their displays they could present them to the class (or at a par-ents’ day?), explaining their choices and how they reached their decisions.

Plenary: ComparisonsDid many of the groups choose the same objects and symbols? Why did some come up morethan once?

DifferentiationThis could be a simple imagination activity for younger students to begin thinking about sym-bols of a country, how it might choose to present itself abroad, and how a country might benefitfrom immigration. For extension students, this may be a way to study Canada’s place on theworld stage and how it has changed in 100 years, as well as how and why immigration (and therules and laws surrounding it) has changed. They may research the modern exhibitions andshows in other countries to encourage immigrants, and find out what sorts of people Canada isseeking to add to its society today.

Extras

You can find practice Canadian citizenship tests online. For example:http://www.yourlibrary.ca/citizenship/ (you can choose the number of questions and the language, and take the practice test online)

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/new-to-canada/citizenship.jsp (this gives examples of questions with answers)


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5. Real People, Real Lives

A number of the people mentioned in Day of the Cyclone really existed:Ansel AdamsNellie McClungMayor Peter McAraBoris KarloffEthel MacLachlanDr. Barnardo

Use learning resource centre or computer-based lessons for students to conduct research intotheir chosen historical figure. This can be done individually or in small groups.

ObjectivesResearch skills: sourcing information, *determining the relevance and bias of sources * collating,arranging and presenting information * considering different audiences * communicating andworking with others *

Depending on the needs and abilities of the students, and which parts of the curriculum you arefulfilling with this activity, you can choose to have them present their findings in a number ofways. Some examples include:

• A five-minute talk or powerpoint presentation to the rest of the class

• Making an information booklet for a particular audience – eg. museum visitors, elementaryschool children, tourists from another country

• Designing a poster for the classroom wall

• Building a web page with information, pictures, and links

• Making a vlog (see the Crash Course channel on Youtube for good examples:http://www.youtube.com/user/crashcourse/ )


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Worksheets


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Worksheet

Questions about Chapters 1–3

1. Why do you think Ella is so excited to be given the Brownie camera?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. Why is Mrs. Barclay unhappy about the camera?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3. Why do you think Billy is so determined to go to school?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. Were you surprised that Billy got angry with Ella for taking his photograph? Why/ why not?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. Explain what makes Ella change her mind about Billy.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________


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Worksheet

Chapters 1-3: Building a Character

Choose two characters from this list: Ella, Billy (the boy), Mr. Barclay, Mrs. Barclay, JesperIsbister.

Look through the first three chapters and look for clues about each character. Write down fourthings we have found out about him or her, and how you have found this out.


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Name: Mrs. Barclay Name: Jesper Isbister

She is important in Regina’s society.Evidence: p.4 “Mrs. Alexandra Barclay was con-sidered a high society lady in Regina, andRegina was the capital...so that made Mrs.Barclay especially important.”

He is young and handsome.Evidence: All the girls at the party are excited tosee him and think Ella should marry him.

Character’s Name Character’s NameWe know...

Evidence...

We know...

Evidence...

We know...

Evidence...

We know...

Evidence...

We know...

Evidence...

We know...

Evidence...

Here is an example:Worksheet

Chapters 1-3: Vocabulary Building

Sewing intricate flowers on something nobody ever saw was SO dull.

Never had she worked so diligently on her long division.

“That was so mean!” said one. “Throwing your Brownie like that. It could’ve broken!” The others commiserated.

The boy had the gall to grin at her.

“Those pictures cost money you know,” said Ella ruefully.

Match the word with the definition:


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Intricate Showed sympathy or understanding

Diligently Sadly or regretfully

Commiserated Working on something with great care and determination to do it well

Gall Describes something very detailed anddelicate

Ruefully Nerve or daring

Worksheet

Chapters 4-6: At the Women’s Work Party

Use the words from the box below to fill in the gaps in these sentences.

Ella is made to take part in a ____________ ____________ by her mother.

The women are making parcels of ____________ for homesteaders.

Ella’s task is to choose things that ____________ will want to read.

Mrs. Barclay is a member of the ____________.

Jesper ____________ the books using Mr. Barclay’s car.

The women talk about a play put on by ____________ ____________.

Mrs. Barclay’s first name is ____________.

Jennie Duncan is “very active in the social circles of ____________.”

At the work party, Mrs. Barclay hears about the ____________ at Ella’s school.


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REGINA CHILDREN FIGHT

IODE DELIVER

WORK PARTY BOOKS

NELLIE McCLUNG ALEX

Worksheet

Chapters 4-6: Prejudice

Prejudice means judging a person or situation without having all the information, or acceptingsomeone else’s judgement without really thinking about it yourself.

Are the following statements about prejudice in Day of the Cyclone true or false?

1. Ella thinks Hong’s restaurant will be dirty. T F

2. Mr. and Mrs. Barclay think the warehouse district is a good place for Ella to visit. T F

3. Mrs. Barclay does not want Ella to go to the library to help Billy. T F

4. Ella does not enjoy Hong’s food. T F

5. Ella persuades her mother that helping Billy is a good thing. T F

6. Before going to Hong’s restaurant, Ella already knew some children have to work instead of going to school. T F

7. Jesper thinks Hong’s restaurant is not a good place for Ella to visit. T F


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Worksheet


“In an establishment such as this? Really, Miss Barclay, I thought you knew better.”

Come to that, her whole day seemed to be a series of first times....Ella felt exhilarated.

Young ladies were not allowed to meet strange men without a chaperone.

As far as Ella could see were acres and acres of wheat, undulating back and forth with theprairie breeze. It was mesmerizing.



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Establishment Swaying backwards and forwards in waves or ripples

Exhilarated Someone who must accompany a young person to make sure he or she is safe andstays out of trouble

Chaperone Overjoyed and breathless with excitement

Undulating Describes something that holds your attention completely

Mesmerizing A place or a business

Worksheet

Chapters 7-9: Who is Jesper?

Think about all the things you know about Jesper. Ella has seen him out drinking with hisfriends, taking Mr. Barclay’s car without asking. And he was in a fight at Hong’s restaurant,spoke harshly to her, and then told her parents, getting her into trouble. But he’s like a big brother, and teases and jokes with Ella. He’s fun, and he brings her a gift. He is polite to Mrs.Barclay and helps her out with her charity work. And Ella’s friends think he’s very handsome!

Find the different words that describe Jesper in the wordsearch below:


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T P F K E L X U C G T L L D MF A B J B K M T P G M C N T RQ M F E N G L A N D Q R N G MW D U K E V O I A W P A N O EY X C F A C M F Y X T I J C JO M B T A R Z Y Z S K G N H BI M F R A S C E I N Q A C I XJ U M H X E M S I W T M M B YH G C J X O S R K T Q B W J FZ J M X S A D D I E D L U E AY X M D L Y N M F N T E A S EM E N L I I E U E S N R Q G VF A B F K R V I O L E N T O AH P H T K J R Q C G Z X V N JU E Q J F F W J Y P S M H W A

DUKE

ENGLAND

REMITTANCE

GAMBLER

FRIEND

TEASE

CHARMING

DRINKING

ASSISTANT

HANDSOME

KIND

VIOLENT

Worksheet

Chapters 7-9: Words into Action

Use the action from some of the following extracts to make your graphic novel version of whenthe tornado hits.

The two dark clouds – now one – began to spin, slowly at first, then faster and faster. The sky allaround turned an eerie and unnatural green.

In seconds, the finger touched the ground and turned into a monster. It roared into their yard.Everything within its reach was sucked into the spinning funnel cloud and crushed to dust. Buildings,trees and fences disappeared. They ran for their lives.

The sky over Wascana Lake darkened and a few drops of rain fell. There was a sudden flash of forkedlightning. Ella looked up, startled.

The deadly funnel careened around the corner of the brand-new Legislative Building, smashing all itswindows. It reached a tendril of wind inside the building that sucked out furniture, tore out walls andcreated a baby whirlwind out of last week’s provincial examination papers. The noise was deafening.

The spinning column of water cut straight across the lake, flinging boats and people in all directions.Bruce and Philip clutched their paddles and closed their eyes as the spout lifted them high into the airand threw them into nearby Wascana Park.

The rain came down faster. Ella was going to get drenched…As she ran down Smith Street, she sawmothers get up from porch chairs, heard them call to their children to come inside. Then Douglas racedpast her. “Ella, RUN!” he shouted.

Wicked glass splinters from broken windows shot through the air like tiny daggers. A car flew into Mrs.Waddell’s parlour.

She saw a man being chased by a barrel. She saw the top floor of William Beelby’s home lift off andland in his neighbour’s front yard.

Some trees in the park were stripped of their bark, then pulled out of the soil and peeled like bananas.Others were left untouched. The fountain blew apart, just as a husband and wife out walking werepicked up and hurled into the library.

The tornado tore the roof off the Telephone Exchange building and caved in one wall. The fifteen-tonswitchboard on the top floor crashed down into the basement, carrying the telephone operators with it.


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Ella kicked open the basement window and crawled inside...She hid under one of the old desks, put herhands over her ears and tried to stop shaking.

Boxcars hurtled through the air above the rail yards, smashing into one another. Sturdy brick ware-houses were crushed. Jock’s wooden house disappeared as the top floor of the Ackerman Building fell ontop of it.

As the tornado headed north out of Regina, the giant funnel added one last insult. It dumped all theremaining water it had picked up from Wascana Lake onto the city, a freezing deluge that pouredthrough the gaping holes left in the buildings.


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26


“Ella, Queen of the Wheat,” he intoned, and bowed low.

“Aye. Rich blokes from England. Come here for a piece of all this, but their folks back homesend ‘em money every month so they don’t actually have to do any work. Nice for the lads,” hewent on with derision in his voice, “but they never grow up to be real men.”

Ella looked aghast at her mother. “He stole money from you?”

Ella nodded to her father, then trudged towards her friends. She still felt grumpy.

It reached a tendril of wind inside the building that sucked out furniture, tore out walls and cre-ated a baby whirlwind out of last week’s provincial examination papers.

Boxcars hurtled through the air above the rail yards, smashing into one another.

The Y.M.C.A. was missing its roof and most of the outside walls around the top floor. Ellacould see right into the upper dormitories.

All of a sudden, a disreputable-looking old man came rushing down the road straight for her. Itwas Mr. Leatherby!



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Intoned Completely shocked and horrified

Derision Moved at a dangerously fast and uncontrolled speed

Aghast Said something in a slow, careful tone of voice that shows respect

Trudged Scorn or contempt; a way of showing you don’t think much of something

Tendril Large bedrooms, often in a hostel, meant for several people to sleep in

Hurtled Walked heavily and slowly

Dormitories Not very respectable; looking shabbyor seeming to have bad character

Disreputable A slim, curling wisp like a thread

Worksheet

Chapters 10-13: Who does what?

Everyone is very busy volunteering with the rescue efforts. Who does what, and what are someof the different jobs they must do?

1. We act as a “human telephone”.

S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

2. I make lists of people who have survived or are injured.

E ___ ___ ___

3. I am helped out of the rubble of my collapsed house by the men in the warehouse district.

J ___ ___ ___

4. The donations from other cities are processed at my bank.

M ___ . B ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

5. I meet with the City Commissioner and the police at city hall to organize the rescue efforts.

M ___ ___ ___ ___ M ___ ___ ___ ___

6. We go to Moore’s Light Company to help get the power to the city back on.

E ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

7. I am the musical instrument that plays “The Last Post”.

B ___ ___ ___ ___

8. The IODE met at my home to organize shelter for the homeless and collect clothing andfood.

M ___ ___ . D ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

9. We come on a special train from Winnipeg to give medical help.

D___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ A___ ___ N___ ___ ___ ___ ___


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Chapters 10-13: Vocabulary building

Much distressed at fragmentary news of your calamity.

“Sounds like I’m going to get blamed, no matter what,” said Billy glumly.

While scores of volunteers looked after the stricken residents of the city, others turned theirminds to rebuilding.



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Fragmentary Miserably

Glumly Describes when you are suffering becausesomething awful has happened to you

Stricken In broken-up bits and pieces

Worksheet

Chapters 14-16: The End

Jesper has been sent back to England; Jock will be Billy’s father; Jock and Billy will stay with theBarclays; Billy will go to school...are you satisfied with how everyone’s stories have ended?

Answer these questions about the end of Day of the Cyclone.

• Whose story ending is your favourite, and why?

• When the Barclays say goodbye to Jesper, are you surprised by their actions and feelingstowards him? Why/ why not? Do you think there is hope for him?

• Mr. Barclay’s work involves making sure there is money for rebuilding the city. Mrs. Barclay ismaking sure people have clothes, food, bed sheets, toys and books for the children. Do youthink one type of ‘rebuilding’ is more important than the other? Why/ why not?


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Chapters 14-16: Word Scramble

Now you know the whole story, unscramble the words below. Each has an extra letter that doesn’t belong. Once you have solved the puzzles, put the extra letters together to make one last word to unscramble!

ANERAGI_R_ _E_ _G_ _I_ _N_ _A_ _A_

ADEEMTESHORT ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

NCAASASW ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

HEEETENLOP ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

DNYENP PRERAD ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

HAGOITYRHOP ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

HETSAW ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

SENIHRCE ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

Extra word: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

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“Perhaps you can read it to some of the bedridden,” Mrs.. Barclay suggested.

Not all of the storm’s victims could be saved. But the valiant doctors and nurses were doing allthey could.

An army of toilers clear debris in storm area; relief well organized.

Mr.. Clarke, one of the trustees, happened to come at the most inopportune moment for therobber and scared him away.

There was silence in the room. Tears stood in Mrs.. Barclay’s eyes. Ella felt awed. Billy’s determination humbled every last one of them.


Bedridden Filled with amazement

Valiant Feeling smaller or less important whencomparing yourself with someone’s goodcharacter or work

Toilers Having to stay in bed because of being injured or ill

Inopportune Courageous and brave

Awed People who do hard work, oftenphysical work such as lifting andmoving things

Humbled Badly-timed or inconvenient


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Worksheet

Busybody or Reporter?

Mrs. Barclay doesn’t approve of Ella’s new camera. She doesn’t want her daughter to poke hernose into other people’s business. Ella learns this for herself when Billy gets angry with her fortaking his picture.

100 years later, a multi-million dollar industry is built on ‘being a busybody’! We read websites,newspapers and magazines every day that show us photographs of events from around the world.A photographer can make a lot of money from getting the right photograph. Magazines will paya lot for pictures of world events and of celebrities...and even more for pictures of celebritiesbehaving badly or getting into trouble.

But the news reporters who flock to Regina after the disaster help the city by sending theirimages around the world. Pictures in the news can be one of the only ways we truly understandwhat’s going on around us.

And everywhere Ella looked she saw photographers taking snapshots.

“Where did they all come from?” she asked her mother in wonder.

“They came on the train from Winnipeg,” replied her mother with a sniff. “Poking their noses into ourbusiness. Busybodies!”

Ella thought about that for a minute. “Maybe it’s a good thing, Mother,” she finally said. “Daddy toldme about the subscription list. Maybe if people far away see pictures of all the damage, they’ll be morewilling to send money to help us.”

Are media photographers just busybodies, or are they bringing us information we want and need to know?

Worksheet

Canada the Great!What goes on the 21st Century Canada Exhibition Wagon?

Jock is persuaded to come to Canada by the wonders of the Canada Exhibition Wagon, which isdesigned to showcase Canada and encourage people to live there.

“What’s the Canada Exhibition Wagon?” asked Ella curiously.• “A wondrous thing, to be sure!” laughed Jock. “Convinced men smarter than me to come to this

land. Young Ella, it was a Gaso-Electrical vehicle, didn’t need no horses to pull it. That was amaz-ing just to start. So me pals and masself, we crowded around to see this contraption, close enough toread the signs painted on the outside of the wagon. Ah, pure excitement those signs caused!”

“What did they say?” Ella was fascinated by his story.• “They said, “Send your boys to Canada. All males over 18 years of age entitled to 160 acres free farm

lands in Western Canada.” It sounded like heaven to us lads, I’ll tell you. Then it got better.”

“What happened?” breathed Ella.• “Why lassie, they opened up the side of that wagon, right before our eyes. And inside was a display

the like of which we’d never seen in our lives!”

“What was in it?”• “There were sheaves of wheat, and great jars of honey. Stuffed rabbits and a buffalo head! There

was baked bread and baskets of eggs - more food than we’d see in a month. And all free for the tak-ing in Canada for a man willing to work.”

Your job is to design the display in the new Canada Exhibition Wagon of the 21st century, andfill it with things that will encourage people to move to Canada today. What will you put in aCanada Exhibition Wagon, and why?


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Real People, Real Lives

Write the name of the person you have chosen to research in the middle bubble. Then fill in therest of the spider diagram with the information you find out.

Things he or she did Important places in his or her life

Important dates in his or her life Things he or she believed in or said

36 © Coteau Books, 2012. Teachers have permission from the author and publisher to make copies of this guide forpersonal classroom use, personal reference, and student use.

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